For You
by irishflute
Summary: Smythofsky Holidays Week Day 1: Roadtrip. Sebastian and Dave travel to Upstate New York for the funeral of Sebastian's homophobic grandfather
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Submission for Smythofsky Holiday Week Day 1: Roadtrip. I don't own Glee - if I did, these two lovely boys would be featured much more!**

"Look, I don't care what you say – Spiderman would kick Superman's ass any day of the week."

"No way!" Dave protested. "Sure, he's got his spidey-senses, but how can that compete with Superman's strength and overall invincibility?"

Sebastian shook his head. "Easy. Wrap him up in a web and finish him! Or he could just grab some Kryptonite. That'd do your 'invincible' guy in pretty quick."

"Come on, Seb," Dave said, rolling his eyes and leaning back against the headboard of his bed. "Where's he going to find Kryptonite? It's not like he can just catch some in his web!" he said, imitating the web-shooting motion with his arms. Sebastian laughed, rocking back in the chair by Dave's desk. He still wasn't completely used to this whole "boyfriend" thing. It was weird to spend time at some guy's house, just talking about whatever came to mind. Still, though, it was nice.

Suddenly, the first few bars of "March of the Witch Hunters" came from Sebastian's phone, causing Dave to jump. Sebastian cringed, looking at his phone as if it might bite. "Ugh. Mom's calling."

Dave laughed. "I thought you had her ring tone set to that Lily Allen song."

"Well, as appropriate as 'Fuck You' was for my feelings towards my mother, I thought it was time for a change." Sebastian frowned. "As much as it pains me, I _do_ need to take this. Mom doesn't exactly call often, so it's probably important," he sighed.

"Good luck," smiled Dave, his eyes a mix of amusement and sympathy.

Sebastian stood up, beginning to pace around the room as he took the call. "Hello, Mother."

"Sebastian. How are you?" she said stiffly. Always one for the formalities.

_Better before you called,_ Sebastian thought, taking a breath. "I'm fine, Mom, thanks for asking. And yourself?"

"I'm doing well." She paused. "Your grandfather's dead."

Sebastian froze. He wasn't exactly surprised – the man had been on his way out for a while now. In fact, Sebastian's parents had been with him in upstate New York for about a week to help with the estate and getting the aging man's affairs in order. Nor was he particularly upset. His maternal grandfather had never been particularly fond of him. Still, though, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret. Maybe, if he's tried harder, been a better person, a better grandson … _if he'd been straight …_

He made eye contact with Dave, across the room. _No._ As much shit as he'd taken – particularly from family members – for being gay, nothing could make him wish he could change. He gave Dave a tight smile. _He's worth it._

Slowly, Sebastian realized his mother was still talking. " – So you'll have to get here by Thursday, which shouldn't be a problem as long as you leave tomorrow morning, and – "

"Wait, so the funeral's Thursday? Did you and Dad already book my flight, or – "

His mother sighed impatiently. "Haven't you been listening? You'll have to drive. How else are you going to pick up the armoire?"

"The what?" Sebastian asked, officially lost.

"You'll need your car to pick up the small armoire your grandfather left you in his will."

"_He left me a fucking closet?"_ Sebastian exploded, resuming his pacing. If he wasn't so furious, he'd have to admire the wit behind it. His grandfather had managed to get one last jab in, post mortem.

"Language!" his mother chided. "Now, as I said, the funeral's the day after tomorrow, so you can leave in the morning, spend a couple nights, and drive home Friday with the armoire. We'll see you tomorrow evening."

"But Mom, can't you just – Mom? _Mom?_ Jesus Christ!" he swore, throwing the already-dead phone down on Dave's bed.

"So … " Dave started, looking slightly apprehensive. "Nice chat?" he joked.

Sebastian sighed, his expression blank. "I have to drive to middle-of-nowhere New York tomorrow for my grandfather's funeral, to pick up the fucking _closet_ he left me."

Dave winced. "I take it the two of you weren't particularly close?"

"We visited him for Easter a few months ago. He spent half the dinner talking about his golf buddy's granddaughter and how she'd be 'perfect' for me once I outgrew my 'phase,' and he spent the other half raving about Michelle Bachman and her prospects for the 2012 election."

"Sorry, Seb," said Dave, reaching up to rub his boyfriend's shoulder.

Sebastian collapsed onto the bed, leaning into his boyfriend's touch. "Thanks, Dave." He sighed. "Well, what better way to spend a Wednesday than a solo road-trip to pay my respects to my homophobic grandfather?"

Dave hesitated. "Do you … Do you want me to come with you?"

Sebastian turned to look at him, his eyes wide with surprise. "You'd do that? For me?"

"Well, yeah," said Dave. He smiled playfully. "But not for you. I really want to pay my respects to your grandfather."

"Oh, I see how it is," Sebastian laughed, gently pushing himself out of Dave's arms. His expression softened. "Really, though, you want to come?"

Dave nodded. "If it makes it easier for you, yeah."

Sebastian grinned. "All right, Bear Cub. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning at 9. Don't forget to pack a suit." He paused. "On second thought, it could be _much_ more fun for the gay grandson's boyfriend to show up to the church in jeans and a t-shirt."

Dave laughed. "I'm not going to show up to a funeral in jeans and a t-shirt."

"Ooh, so no clothes at all? Even better!"

"I'm bringing a suit, Seb!" Dave snorted, trying not to laugh.

Sebastian shrugged. "Ah, well. Worth a shot!" he said, smiling coyly. Maybe this road trip wouldn't be so bad after all.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Last chance to turn back!" Sebastian said, loading Dave's suitcase into the trunk of his silver BMW. "I mean, unless you want to hitchhike back from Pennsylvania or something. Come to think of it, that sounds like much more fun. Maybe I'll just hop out somewhere along the way and let you go in my stead!"

"Hmm, nice idea, but I'm pretty sure your family will notice."

"They honestly might not," said Sebastian, wrinkling his nose.

"Come on, Seb," Dave chided gently. "It won't be that bad."

"You've only met my parents," Sebastian said dubiously. "Trust me – they're the _good_ ones."

Dave hid a grimace. "Well, they won't be any happier to see us if we're late for dinner. Let's hit the road!"

"If you insist," sighed Sebastian. "Onwards to death and destruction!"

The two boys got in the car and pulled out of Dave's driveway. Sebastian immediately started fiddling with the radio, trying to find a station he liked. He quickly flipped through a Nicki Minaj song and a techno tune he didn't recognize. The next two stations he landed on were both playing Christian music.

"You have _got_ to be _kidding_ me," Sebastian groaned. "This is like the playlist from hell!"

"It's not _that_ bad," Dave protested. "You're just too picky."

"You actually like this garbage?" asked Sebastian incredulously. "All the delusional hippies strumming guitars and singing about Jesus?

"Some of it, yeah," Dave shrugged.

Sebastian glanced at his boyfriend, who was deliberately staring out the window. He kicked himself. They'd barely left Lima, and he'd already managed to say something stupid. While Sebastian had rather quickly rejected the idea of a higher power, Dave had struggled significantly with his faith, particularly as he came to terms with his sexuality. Ultimately, however, Dave managed to maintain his belief, although slightly altered from the way he'd been raised. He still had moments of doubt, though, and Sebastian's disparaging remarks didn't exactly help. He softened. "Sorry, babe. Sometimes I forget you're not as bitter and cynical as I am."

"It's okay, Seb," Dave said with a small smile, turning to look back at Sebastian. "You know, if you ignore all the Jesus stuff, you might like some of these songs. They're pretty catchy."

"So is the plague," Sebastian said dryly. He winced. "Damn. I really suck at this whole optimism thing, don't I?"

"Just a little, yeah," Dave teased. "Seriously, though, if you want to find something else to listen to, it won't bother me."

Sebastian sighed, pressing his lips together. Dave was already doing so much for him; the least he could do was let him pick the radio station. "Nah, Bear Cub, I'm good. We can leave it here for a while."

"Okay, whatever you want!" said Dave happily. Sebastian smiled, but said nothing. _Compromise. Yuck._

After a few minutes of silence, Dave began to hum softly along with the radio. Sebastian felt his face sliding into a ridiculous grin, but he kept his eyes on the road. Dave was incredibly self-conscious about his voice – _not that he had any reason to be – _so Sebastian rarely got to hear him sing, or even hum. This was a special treat, and he knew it would only last as long as Dave didn't realize he was listening.

Settling back in his seat, Sebastian took a slow, deep breath, taking in his surroundings. The road stretched out in front of him, the sun was shining, and he had a pretty amazing – _and sexy_ – guy riding shotgun. All things considered, this trip was starting out much better than expected.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Several hours later, Sebastian's mood had deteriorated dramatically. He was getting hungry and tired, and the other drives seemed to be getting more and more incompetent. "Fuck! Did you see that asshole cut us off? He could've fucking killed us!" Sebastian yelled, gripping the steering wheel.

"It wouldn't have been so bad if you hadn't accelerated towards him," Dave pointed out. He reached over to touch Sebastian's arm. "You'll feel better once we've stopped and eaten."

Sebastian shook off Dave's hand. "I just want to get out of freaking Ohio," he groaned. "God, when did our state get so big?"

"I dunno, maybe we invaded Pennsylvania when we weren't looking," suggested Dave. This earned a snort of laughter from the whiney Warbler in the driver's seat. "Look, let's just stop at the next exit and grab lunch."

"But there's nothing _good_ at the next exit," Sebastian complained. "The sign just said there's a McDonald's, a Taco Bell, and some Mom-and-Pop joint that would probably give us food poisoning."

Dave sighed. "Well, then, let's wait until the exit after that."

"FUCK," exclaimed Sebastian as an eighteen-wheeler whizzed past. "Did you see how close that guy got to us? Seriously, he drives for a living – he literally has one job."

"Babe. You want me to drive for a while?" asked Dave.

"I'm not the problem! It's all the other morons out here!" Sebastian protested, honking at a suburban that had the audacity to merge into the lane in front of him. _Woah._ Maybe he did need a break. "Want to drive after we stop for food?"

"Sure thing, Seb," Dave laughed.

"Good," said Sebastian with a nod, changing lanes and exiting the interstate.

"I thought you didn't like anything at this exit," said Dave, surprised.

Sebastian shrugged. "There has to be _something_ at McDonald's that won't kill me."

"Atta boy, Seb!" Dave grinned, patting his boyfriend on the shoulder.

Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Anything for you, David," he said with mock adoration. He brightened. "Hey, maybe this'll make me so fat I won't fit into my suit anymore! Then, I won't have to go to the funeral!"

"Hate to break it to you, but that's highly unlikely," said Dave dryly.

Sebastian sighed dramatically, pulling into the McDonald's parking lot. "A boy can dream."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Where are we?" Sebastian yawned, stretching as best he could in the passenger seat.

"I think we're getting close," Dave answered. "Did you have a nice nap?"

"Yeah," said Sebastian groggily. "How long was I out?"

Dave shrugged. "A few of hours? You slept through our last gas stop."

"No wonder I have to pee so bad," Sebastian mumbled. "Wait, you got gas? But you shouldn't be paying for that; give me the receipt and I'll reimburse you."

"No need," said Dave.

"No, seriously, babe, there's no reason for you to be putting gas in my car."

"I know. That's why I took your credit card," Dave quipped, nodding towards Sebastian's wallet, which was sitting in the center console.

"Oh. That works too," said Sebastian, mildly impressed. He looked out the window. "Take the next exit. Or not. Actually, I'd prefer not."

"Next exit it is," said Dave cheerfully, putting on his blinker and merging into the right lane.

"Do we really have to? Can't we just send flowers and tell them to keep the armoire?"

"We just drove for nearly ten hours to get here. At this point, we're kind of committed."

"But they haven't seen us yet," said Sebastian hopefully. "We could tell them we broke down and – "

"Nope. Sorry, Seb, we're going." Dave gave his boyfriend a sympathetic smile. "Maybe it won't be as bad as you think."

"I can practically smell the bigotry from here," said Sebastian, curling his lip. "Look, if they come out with the torches and the pitchforks, just get back to the car as fast as you can. I'll distract them while you run!"

"Whatever you say, Sebastian," said Dave, amused.

"You think I'm kidding …" Sebastian muttered. "This is our turn. It'll be the big gray house on the left with the dementors hanging out by the front door."

Dave snorted. "Is this it?"

"If I say no, will you take us someplace else?"

"Here we are, then," Dave concluded, turning into the wide brick driveway.

Taking a deep breath, Sebastian sat up straighter in his seat, running a hand through his hair, fixing a pleasant but empty expression on his face. If he didn't secure his mask and shield before entering the lion's den, he knew he didn't stand a chance. And he'd have to be at the top of his game to explain why he thought it would be a good idea to bring his boyfriend to his grandfather's funeral.

He turned to Dave. "Okay, as you may have gathered, I'm not exactly expecting a warm welcome here, and they'll be even less thrilled when they see I've brought you. We have one advantage: you are, by default, a guest. They're all about proper manners and hospitality, so they won't say a word against you – to your face. I mean, they might slip in a few underhanded jabs, but nothing serious. So here's the plan – you must never leave my side. That way, I get a share of your immunity bubble."

"Good thing you said that – I was definitely planning to wander off by myself," said Dave sarcastically. He grabbed Sebastian's hand and gave a squeeze. "I'm here."

Sebastian looked at Dave, his eyes slightly too wide and his lips slightly too tight to fit his carefully plastered mask. After a moment, he blinked, swallowing heavily, and gave a curt nod as he turned away. "Let's go," he said, getting out of the car. Dave followed close behind.

As they approached the front door, a tall, narrow woman opened it and stepped out. She wore a stylish black dress with her dark hair pulled into a tight bun. "Sebastian, so glad you finally made it." She stopped, fixing Dave with a cold smile. "And David. How … unexpected." She turned back to Sebastian. "The house is full. We don't have anywhere for him to sleep."

Dave shifted uncomfortably, ready to offer to get a hotel or sleep in the car, but Sebastian spoke first. "He can just sleep wherever I'm sleeping, Mother," he said, his smile just as tight as hers.

"Sebastian, that's hardly appropriate – and I'm not just saying that because of the obvious; it wouldn't be okay for your cousin Peter to share a bed with his girlfriend either, not in front of the entire family!" she said, speaking softly and urgently.

"If we're sleeping in front of the entire family, we aren't likely to do anything," Sebastian argued. "I've never been that into exhibitionism."

"Sebastian! I – "

"If he goes to a hotel, I'm going with him."

His mother drew in a tight breath, her lips pressed together, clearly torn. She sighed. "David, welcome. Thank you so much for coming."

"It's good to see you, Mrs. Smythe. I'm so sorry for your loss," said Dave politely.

"Yes, thank you," she said, sounding distracted. "Boys, you can put your things upstairs, second room on the left – you know the way, Sebastian. Then come back down for dinner. We're almost ready to eat."

"Sure thing, Mom!" said Sebastian, looping his hand around Dave's arm and leading him into the house. He spoke quietly in his boyfriend's ear. "Now we just have to get up there without running into – "

"Sebastian, dear, how lovely to see you," said a shrill woman wearing a frumpy blouse. "And … who is this?"

"Aunt Patricia, so good to see you," Sebastian lied. "This is my boyfriend, Dave."

She sniffed. "I see."

"It's nice to meet you," said Dave, sticking out his hand to shake. The woman looked at it as if it were diseased.

"Yes. Well. I assume the two of you will be joining us for dinner?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Sebastian intoned.

His aunt tried – and failed – to hide her disgust and disappointment. "Wonderful. We'll see you in a few minutes, then," she said, walking off quickly.

"Horrible woman," muttered Sebastian as they climbed the stairs. "Ugh. Why are we here?"

Dave rubbed Sebastian's back soothingly. "Because your grandfather died."

"Right. Bastard," the taller boy grumbled. "Well, here we are," he said, pushing open a heavy wooden door. "Try not to step in the hatred and intolerance; it's a bitch to wash out of clothes."

"I'll try," said Dave with a small laugh. He stood in the center of the room, glancing around and looking lost.

"God, Dave, I shouldn't have brought you here."

"I'm sorry," Dave said quietly. "I know I'm making it harder."

"No!" said Sebastian, crossing the room and drawing his boyfriend into a firm hug. "_No._ You're the only thing keeping me sane in this house with all the Stepford wives. I just meant … Look, I'm _used_ to all their bullshit. I can take it. But you shouldn't have to."

"Oh," said Dave, surprised. He pulled Sebastian closer, kissing his neck. "Don't worry, Seb. I can take it. I've heard it all before, too." He paused. "Hell, I've _said_ it."

Sebastian frowned. "That doesn't make it okay for them to treat you like some animal I found on the side of the road."

"No," Dave agreed, "but it doesn't matter. They don't matter. I'm … I'm better. I'm getting better. I care less about what other people say and do. I like myself, and I like who I am when I'm with you. No one can convince me it's wrong."

Sebastian put his hand on Dave's head and pulled him into a deep kiss. It was filled with a desperate but gentle desire, and both were out of breath by the time Sebastian softly pulled away.

"I love you, Dave." His voice caught, exposing the tender vulnerability he spent so much time trying to hide.

"I love you too, Sebastian," said Dave, quiet and steady, his smile growing wider.

Sebastian stood with his head on Dave's shoulder, their arms wrapped around each other. He closed his eyes, breathing slowly and deeply. He had Dave. Everything was going to be okay. He looked up and took a step back, a glimmer of mischief in his eyes. "Okay, at this point, we have two options. We can either go down to dinner, as they expect, or we can make a rope out of the bed sheets and escape through the window."

Dave laughed. "Well, I _am_ getting pretty hungry …"

Sebastian sighed dramatically. "To the wolves it is, then." He reached out for Dave's hand. "Together?"

"Always."

**A/N: I'm posting this as "complete," but if there's enough interest, I might continue - through dinner, the funeral, the drive home. Let me know if you'd be interested! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Finally, Chapter 2! Huge thank-you to those of you who reviewed the first chapter and encouraged me to continue – I hope you're satisfied with the ending! **

**I still don't own Glee; I also do not own the song "Gone, Gone, Gone" by Phillip Phillips, used later in this chapter – they just give me inspiration!**

**Warnings: Examples of intense religiously based bigotry.**

Sebastian was still holding Dave's hand as they entered the dining room. The gesture was partially defiant, but he also drew comfort from Dave's presence. He felt more confident – and less alone.

The rest of the family was already seated around the long oak table. The food was on serving dishes in the middle, and each chair had a full place setting in front of it. Sebastian's father and mother sat on one side, near the head of the table, across from his Aunt Patricia and her husband. Beside his aunt and uncle sat his cousins – a boy and a girl, both in their early teens. At the head of the table sat an older man wearing all black with a clerical collar – _So they invited the priest over for dinner,_ Sebastian thought grimly.

"Sorry we're late," said Sebastian, ushering Dave and himself into the two empty chairs next to his parents and across from his cousins. "Long drive, you know."

"Yes, well," his mother sniffed. "Sebastian, you remember your Aunt Patricia and Uncle Richard, and your cousins Peter and Anna?"

Sebastian smiled tightly. "Yes, pleasure to see you all again," he nodded. "I'd like to introduce all of you to my boyfriend, Dave Karofsky." Sebastian smiled blandly as his mother's eyes widened in alarm and Anna gasped audibly. The rest of his relatives looked away, trying to pretend Dave didn't exist.

The priest, however, cleared his throat, leaning forward. "Sebastian, is it? I'm Father Irving. Your grandfather's death must have been very troubling for you. These losses can sometimes cause us to act out, losing the path of God and setting us on the path towards eternal suffering and damnation. However, it is not too late to repent. I know of several camps for troubled youth such as yourself –"

"Not interested," Sebastian spat. "And you're a few years too late with the fire-and-brimstone speech. I was gay _way_ before my bigoted asshole of a grandfather croaked."

"_Sebastian!"_ his father said sharply. "Watch your language!"

"Now, sweetheart, it's a stressful time for all of us," his mother jumped in smoothly. Rather than addressing one person in particular, she stared into her plate. "Let's not judge anyone too quickly."

Sebastian and his father both stared at her for a moment in tense silence. Finally, Sebastian nodded curtly. It wasn't the time to make a scene. _But that doesn't mean I'll go quietly,_ he thought with grim determination. "Well, I, for one, am starving." He smiled innocently. "I'd do just about _anything_ to have a nice hunk of meat in my mouth right now."

Dave kicked him under the table and his mother clenched her jaw. His cousins were both gaping at him with a mixture of apprehension and awe. _Pathetic,_ thought Sebastian. "So," he continued with a grin, "whose dick do I have to suck to get someone to pass the pork roast?"

"Sebastian, I'm warning you –" his mother started, but his father put a hand on her arm.

"Let's just start over," suggested Sebastian's father. "Sebastian, David, good of you to join us. We invited Father Irving to eat with us and talk about your grandfather so he can personalize the service tomorrow morning."

"It – it's nice to meet you all," said Dave tentatively. His efforts at civility were almost entirely ignored.

"Sebastian, I've had the chance to talk with the rest of the family a bit – do you have any stories, favorite memories you'd like to share about your grandfather?" the priest asked as they began to eat, a sickly sweet smile on his pasty face.

"Nothing comes to mind," said Sebastian, smiling back just as nauseatingly. "Unless – do you want to hear about the time when I was thirteen and I overheard him advising my parents to 'beat the gay out' of me? Sweet old Gramps."

"Sebastian, I don't think –" his mother attempted to cut him off.

"Or maybe the time he got me a book called "The Sins of Homosexuality: How to Banish the Devil Within" for Christmas – _that_ was a fun year!" Sebastian barreled on.

"What he means to say is that his grandfather was a man of strong faith –" his mother tried again, but Sebastian was on a roll.

"Or back when I was six and I wanted a Broadway themed birthday party, and he sat me down and told me singing and dancing were for girls, and convinced me to have a baseball themed party instead?"

"I think we've heard enough –"

"Or when I first got back from France and he – get this, he _actually_ called the headmaster of my old boarding school to accuse him and the entire French lifestyle of turning me into a 'fucking fairy.' That's a fond memory, isn't it?"

By now, the entire table was staring at Sebastian with varying degrees of astonishment. Father Irving was the first to regain his composure.

"Now, Sebastian, it sounds like you're lashing out. Could it be that you are turning your own feelings of self loathing outward at the most logical target, your deceased grandfather? Perhaps you are bitter that he left you without his guiding presence."

Sebastian snorted in disbelief. "Do you really believe the shit spewing out of your mouth right now? Because I'm pretty sure Hitler just called to tell you to turn down the hate."

"_Sebastian!"_ his mother cried. _"Under no circumstances is it appropriate to compare dinner guests to Adolf Hitler!"_

Sebastian shrugged with reckless indifference. "Not my fault our dinner guest thinks I'm the devil reincarnate."

"That's not what I think at all," Father Irving tried yet again. "Now, I don't know whether you led your young companion astray, or if he was the one to tempt you to venture into sin, but do not fear: you can be cured."

Dave shifted uncomfortably beside Sebastian, eyes trained on the ground. Throughout the dinner, he had been largely acting in accordance with the family, pretending he didn't exist, but as the priest continued on his tirade, his façade was beginning to fail. Sebastian noticed him start to shake. And he lost it.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Sebastian spoke tightly, through clenched teeth. He stood up quickly, knocking over his chair in the process. It hit the floor with a loud _bang,_ causing the entire table to jump.

Father Irving stood up too, slowly and quietly, speaking as he rose. "Now, young man, if you were anyone else, I'd leave you to continue your life of sin – our Lord will judge you in the end. But I've known your family a long time, and I care about your mother, so I'm willing to put forth an effort to cleanse your soul, but you must be willing to work with me. Don't you want to see your mother in heaven?"

"Ooh, nice try, but I'm pretty sure the afterlife is almost as full of shit as your tacky haircut," said Sebastian scornfully. "Besides, I think I've had enough of family dinners in my earthly life – if there's a big party in the great beyond, I'd rather be with people who actually give a damn about me."

"Your family loves you very much, Sebastian," Father Irving insisted. "If they didn't, they wouldn't have encouraged me to have this little intervention –"

"_Intervention?"_ Sebastian exploded. "Okay, we all know I'm not exactly a card-carrying member of my grandfather's fan club, but isn't it in pretty poor taste to be staging interventions when we're supposed to be planning his funeral?"

"We were following your grandfather's wishes," said his mother quietly. "In his will, he mentioned – he said that, by giving you the armoire, he hoped to mend the bridges burned between the two of you and guide you on the path back to the light."

Aunt Patricia nodded in agreement. "And one of our last conversations, he was telling me how one of his biggest regrets was that he would die before he could save you from the Devil's clutches."

Rolling his eyes, Sebastian laughed. "This sounds like a bad country song. I am nowhere _near_ drunk enough to deal with this bullshit."

"That was another thing your grandfather worried about – you were always out at those horrible bars for – for _people like you,_" his Aunt continued scornfully. "Is that where you met this 'boyfriend' of yours?"

"What's it to you?" challenged Sebastian, his eyes flashing. "Looking for advice on picking up dudes? Man, Uncle Richard, I'd be a bit worried if I were you."

"Sebastian, that is no way to speak to your aunt," his mother chastised.

"Sorry, but if someone tries to pile a bunch of shit on me, I'm going to throw it right back."

"She is only speaking like this because she loves you," his uncle argued. "You can't just sit back and let the people you care about continue to hurt themselves!"

His aunt nodded encouragingly. "We thought, now, with the family all together to mourn the loss of your grandfather, we could begin the healing process."

Sebastian looked around the table. His aunt, uncle, and the priest were all looking at him with a sort of fanatic intensity. Anna and Peter almost looked excited, as though they had backstage passes to some despicable reality show. His mother and father at least had the decency to look uncomfortable and embarrassed.

Sebastian closed his eyes and swallowed in disgust. He glanced at Dave. His boyfriend was still sitting beside him, his eyes closed, fighting back an expression of panic. _Shit._

"I'm done," he said quietly.

"You mean you're willing to –" started his aunt with excitement.

"_No,"_ Sebastian interrupted emphatically. "I'm done with _you._ I'm not going to stay here and take this abuse – and I'm sure as _hell_ not going to stand here and let Dave suffer, too. We're leaving." He turned Dave and raised an eyebrow. "Unless, of course, you'd like to stay?"

Dave let out a breath of nervous laughter. "I'm with you," he said, giving Sebastian a small smile as he stood up.

"Good." Sebastian returned his attention to the rest of the table. "Now, that's settled. Sorry, but it looks like I'll be missing the funeral – I'll send flowers. So, who wants to help me load the damn armoire into my car?"

A heavy silence covered the dining room. For a minute, everyone just stared dumbly. Finally, his father spoke up. "I'll help," he said, getting to his feet. "Here, it's in the living room."

Sebastian blinked at his father in surprise. "Okay then," he shrugged with a grin. "Come on, Dave. As for the rest of you," he continued with mock seriousness, "I would say it's been a pleasure, but lying is a sin." With that, he ushered Dave out of the room, following his father.

Dave leaned towards him to speak quietly in his ear. "You sure know how to make an exit."

Sebastian put his arm around him and smirked. "One of my many talents."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

It took the three men a bit of time to load the armoire into Sebastian's trunk – longer than Sebastian would have liked – but eventually, they managed to get it in. Dave and Sebastian had run upstairs to retrieve their bags. When they got back to the car, Sebastian's father was still standing there, looking down at his clasped hands and fidgeting slightly.

Throwing his suitcase in the backseat, Sebastian nodded at his father. "Well, we're off. Tell mom bye for me."

"So … You're really going to leave? Just like that?" his father asked.

"Yep," said Sebastian with forced brightness. He softened his expression slightly. "Come on. You really can't expect me to stay here after that dinner."

"You can stay in a hotel tonight – put it on the card – and just come to the funeral tomorrow. You don't have to be there for the visitation or anything, just the actual service."

"No," Sebastian said flatly.

"It would mean so much to your mother if you just –"

"It would have meant a lot to _me_ if at least one of my parents had stood up for me back there," Sebastian spat.

"You know how your aunt and uncle are – they aren't going to _suddenly_ become okay with your … _divergent_ lifestyle. And Father Irving is an older man, a member of the Catholic clergy – his views are rather set, not to mention supported by his superiors," argued his father.

"What, am I supposed to jump up and down and forgive everyone just because they've been assholes _for a long time?"_ Sebastian snorted.

"No, but you could at least be civil. Your grandfather is dead, Sebastian; it wouldn't kill you to show a little respect," his father protested.

Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Yeah, just like you're all showing Dave and me."

His father clenched his jaw. "You're the one who started –"

"_No,_ Dad, I'm not," Sebastian cut him off, eyes flashing. "Look, I didn't leave that dinner table just so I could stand out here and argue with you. This isn't some attention-seeking stunt – we're actually leaving." He opened his car door; on the passenger side, Dave did the same. "Bye, Dad. See you when you get back to Ohio." As he stepped into the car, he added under his breath, _"Probably."_

He heard Dave say some sort of polite goodbye – _more than any of them deserve_ – as he started the car. As soon as his boyfriend was in, he backed out of the driveway – maybe a little quicker than he needed to – and left.

For a while, the two drove in silence. Sebastian's mind was reeling as he drove on autopilot. Once they hit the interstate, Sebastian punched on the radio and began shifting through the stations. After he'd looped through all of them twice, he turned it off again in frustration. He could see Dave's concerned expression out of the corner of his eye, but neither of them said anything.

Sebastian let his foot press down on the accelerator a bit more. He knew he was going too fast; he could feel Dave's apprehension radiating from the passenger seat, but he didn't care. The road was virtually empty, and he knew his car. He just wanted to put as much space between him and that house – _that goddamn house – _as possible.

Not the house. The house didn't really bother him. The people _inside_ the house, sure, but Sebastian really didn't give a damn about any of them. They were ignorant and hurtful and pathetic. What _really_ irked Sebastian was the fucking armoire sitting in his trunk.

He slammed his right hand against the steering wheel. Dave jumped, tightening his grip on the arm rest. "Sebastian, sweetheart, maybe we should pull over, take a break or something, just –"

"I don't need to stop, I just need to –" Sebastian clenched his jaw in frustration. "I need to keep going. I need to get the fuck away from the fucking armoire in my motherfucking trunk!"

"Seb, I'm pretty sure the trunk's attached to the car, so it's kind of going to keep up with us …"

"I – I fucking know that, I'm not –" Sebastian let out a breath, easing up on the accelerator slightly. "All my life, I've been toting around that stupid armoire, and now – now I'm literally hauling the damn thing halfway across the country. It's always going to be there, reminding me of how shitty I am, all the ways I've screwed up my life."

"You can get rid of the armoire, Seb, you can sell it, or you can – you can just dump it here on the side of the interstate, it doesn't matter."

Sebastian shook his head. "It's not – it's not actually about the damn armoire, Dave. It's just …" he paused, trying to put his racing thoughts into words. "No matter where I go, or what's going on in my life, I'm always going to have these family obligations where I'm reminded of just how worthless I am. How much of a disappointment I am. And I can't …" he ran a hand through his hair, pulling slightly. _I will not cry. Smythes do not cry._ "I can't fucking do this anymore."

Dave tentatively reached out a hand in comfort, rubbing Sebastian's shoulder in small circles. "You're not worthless."

The words had been so quiet Sebastian almost thought he had imagined them. "What?"

"You're not worthless, Sebastian," Dave repeated, louder this time. "You're not worthless, and you're not a disappointment."

Sebastian laughed bitterly. "You were there, Dave. You heard all of the terrible shit they said. Don't think for a second they didn't mean every word."

"They don't matter, though," Dave countered. "They're just bigoted assholes who happen to be related to you."

"Yeah, but – there are plenty of people just like them. And I won't always be able to just storm out like that. Someday, they'll have me cornered somewhere where I can't just fight them off with sarcastic remarks and innuendos. _And that scares the fuck out of me."_

Dave opened his mouth to reply, but he realized he had nothing to say that would make Sebastian feel better. He was right. Dave bit his lip and looked away, taking his hand from his boyfriend's shoulder.

Suddenly, Sebastian turned the wheel sharply and took the exit they had been about to pass.

"Where are we going?" asked Dave nervously, looking around out the window.

Sebastian blinked at him in confusion. "I told them I'd send flowers."

"What?" Dave questioned, equally bewildered.

"To the funeral. Before we left, I told them I'd send flowers to the funeral. I think there's a florist that'll still be open at this exit."

"You were serious about that?" Dave turned to look at Sebastian. Although his boyfriend's face was set in stony determination, a tear ran down his cheek.

"Yep," said Sebastian. Dave could hear the strain in his voice. "I may be the useless gay grandson, but …" He sighed and angrily brushed the moisture from his face. "It'll mean a lot to my mom. And this way, I get to be the bigger person. Otherwise, I'm just the pouty brat who packed up his toys and left when the other kids were mean to him on the playground."

Dave smiled softly at Sebastian. "They'll never get you cornered."

Sebastian glanced at Dave. "Because I'm sending flowers?"

"No. Well, yeah, kind of, but … Because that's who you are, Seb. That's who you've become. The kind of guy who buys flowers to send to the funeral of a guy he hates, just because it's the right thing to do and it'll make his mother feel better." He reached out and took Sebastian's hand. "You're so much stronger than they are. You have more passion, and _com_passion, and _that's_ why they'll never get you cornered."

Sebastian started to smile. "You know, before you get too caught up in my amazingness, I should tell you, I'm still considering asking the florist if he can get the arrangement to spell 'Fuck You.' Ooh, or maybe there's a certain color rose that means 'You're a shitty excuse for a human being' – I think that would be an appropriate choice, don't you?"

Dave laughed. "Let's try for the second option – nice and subtle."

"What if it's _too_ subtle, though? They're pretty thick – what if they don't get it?"

"I think that'll be okay," said Dave, squeezing his hand.

Sebastian sighed dramatically. "I guess you're right." He perked up. "I'm pretty sure my aunt's allergic to chrysanthemums – maybe I can send a bouquet of those!"

"Sounds good to me!" Dave said pleasantly. "Subtle, but direct."

"Perfect," agreed Sebastian with a decisive nod as he turned into the florist's parking lot. _Good, they _are_ still open,_ he noted as he parked. Turning the car off, he pivoted in his seat to face Dave. "Thank you."

"For what?" asked Dave, surprised.

"For being here. For keeping me grounded. For preventing me from driving off a bridge."

Dave's eyes widened. "You wouldn't really have –"

"No, probably not," Sebastian conceded, "but still. Having you with me – it's really helped. You've made this whole nightmare of a road trip tolerable."

"Anything for you, Sebastian," Dave smiled, squeezing his hand again.

Sebastian took a deep breath. "All right. Let's buy some damn flowers."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Before long, the two boys were back on the interstate, driving at a much more reasonable rate, and a large bouquet of chrysanthemums – with a note reading, _"We send our deepest sympathies. So sorry we couldn't be there. Love, Sebastian and Dave"_ – was being prepared for delivery. Feeling much better about life, Sebastian tried the radio again. The first station was on commercial, but it only took a couple of attempts to find a song he liked – the first notes of "Gone, Gone, Gone" by Phillip Phillips were coming through his speakers. _Perfect,_ he thought as he began to sing along.

"_When life leaves you high and dry,  
I'll be at your door tonight,  
if you need help, if you need help.  
I'll shut down the city lights,  
I'll lie, cheat, I'll beg and bribe  
to make you well, to make you well."_

Dave took over singing for the second part of the chorus.

"_When enemies are at your door,  
I'll carry you away from war,  
if you need help, if you need help.  
Your hope dangling by a string,  
I'll share in your suffering  
to make you well, to make you well."  
_

As the song moved towards the chorus, Sebastian jumped back in.

"_Give me reasons to believe  
that you would do the same for me."_

The two boys sang the chorus together.

"_And I would do it for you, for you.  
Baby I'm not moving on,  
I'll love you long after you're gone.  
For you, for you,  
You will never sleep alone,  
I'll love you long after you're gone.  
And long after you're gone, gone, gone."_

Dave took the second verse, Sebastian adding occasional harmonies.

"_When you fall like a statue,_

_I'm gon' be there to catch you,  
put you on your feet, you on your feet.  
And if your well is empty,  
Not a thing will prevent me.  
Tell me what you need,  
What do you need?"_

Sebastian entered in answer:

"_I surrender honestly.  
You've always done the same for me."_

Again, both boys sang for the chorus.

_So I would do it for you, for you.  
Baby I'm not moving on,  
I'll love you long after you're gone.  
For you, for you,  
You would never sleep alone,  
I love you long after you're gone,  
And long after you're gone, gone gone._

Sebastian took the bridge.

"_You're my backbone,  
You're my corner stone,  
You're my crutch when my legs stop moving.  
You're my head start,  
You're my rugged heart,  
You're the pulse that I've always needed.  
Like a drum, baby, don't stop beating.  
Like a drum, baby, don't stop beating.  
Like a drum, baby, don't stop beating.  
Like a drum, my heart never stops beating-"_

Sebastian continued singing lead on the chorus; Dave took the harmonies.

"_For you, for you,  
Baby I'm not moving on,  
I'll love you long after you're gone.  
For you, for you,  
You would never sleep alone,  
I'll love you long after you're gone.  
For you, for you,  
Baby I'm not moving on,  
I'll love you long after you're gone.  
For you, for you,  
You would never sleep alone.  
I'll love you long, long after you're gone."_

The two sang in unison as the song neared its end.

"_Like a drum, baby don't stop beating.  
Like a drum, baby, don't stop beating.  
Like a drum, baby, don't stop beating.  
Like a drum, my heart never stops beating for you."  
And long after you're gone, gone, gone.  
I'll love you long after you're gone, gone gone."_

As the song faded, Sebastian turned the radio volume down, relaxed and happy. "That was perfect." He turned to Dave and smiled. _"You're_ perfect. Really, babe, you should sing more often."

Dave turned red, but he looked happy. "Thanks, Seb. That was fun."

"Yeah, Bear Cub, it was," Sebastian grinned. He scrunched up his nose and his face shifted to a slight grimace. "At least _something_ fun came out of the god-awful road trip."

Dave shrugged. "It's been fun spending time with you," he pointed out. "Honestly, we barely spent any time with your family at all. We were there for, like, three hours, tops."

Sebastian brightened considerably. "That's true. We've spent _way_ more time in this car than we did in that god-forsaken house."

"Mhmm. I like your car. The seats are comfy," said Dave, trying – and failing – to hold back a yawn.

Sebastian glanced over at him in concern. "Shit, you must be exhausted. You didn't get a nap on the drive up like I did."

"I'll be fine," Dave protested. "I'm not even that tired," he added, but his credibility was shot by a second yawn, larger than the first.

"Sleep now," Sebastian urged. "We've still got a long drive ahead of us."

"But what about you? It'll be harder for you to stay awake if I'm snoring in the passenger seat," argued Dave.

"Don't worry about me; I'm good. Should be for a while"

"Well, if you're sure …" Dave conceded, slouching slightly in the seat and closing his eyes. "G'night, Seb."

"'Night, Bear Cub," Sebastian smiled.

Before long, Dave began to snore softly. A wave of joy washed over Sebastian. In spite of everything else, he was happier than he'd been in a long time.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Several hours later, Dave shifted in his seat and groggily opened his eyes. "Where are we?" he asked sleepily.

"About an hour out," Sebastian told him.

"That close?" questioned Dave in surprise. "Seb, you shouldn't have let me sleep that long!"

Sebastian brushed off Dave's remarks. "Nah, I was good. Didn't want to mess up your sleeping pattern any more than absolutely necessary." He glanced at the clock. "It's five o'clock in the morning. Still a little early for my taste, but I think that's getting close to a time when normal people get up."

"Yeah, but that means – you drove for, like, six hours, in the middle of the night, with me just conked out uselessly in the front seat!" Dave protested guiltily.

"Really, Bear Cub, don't worry about it. I'm half nocturnal anyway," Sebastian reassured him. "Besides, it gave me time to think."

"About what?" asked Dave cautiously.

"Lots of stuff," Sebastian shrugged. "Like the armoire – I think I'm going to keep it."

Dave looked at him in surprise. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Sebastian nodded. "It's a nice piece of furniture. And … it can mean whatever I want it to mean."

"Um … What do you want it to mean?"

"I don't know yet," admitted Sebastian. He laughed. "You know, a part of me – not a big part, just a little bit, there in the back of my mind – was hoping this armoire was some sort of apology. Like, maybe my grandfather left a note in it, apologizing for being an asshole, wishing me the best." He snorted. "Maybe I half expected to find Narnia inside." Sebastian shook his head. "But … it's just an armoire."

Dave nodded slowly. "So, now that you've stopped trying to give it some hidden meaning … it can be just an armoire?"

"Exactly," said Sebastian with enthusiasm. "And it's a really nice armoire – I'm pretty sure it's an antique."

A smile danced across Dave's lips. "I'm glad you're excited about it, Seb."

"You know what else I'm excited about" he asked, waggling his eyebrows.

"What?"

"The fact that there's a McDonald's on the way to your house, so we can stop for breakfast right before I drop you off!"

"Seb, you hate McDonald's," Dave reminded him.

"Hey, ever since you made me eat there for lunch … You know, they say fast food can be addicting." Sebastian sighed. "I can't help myself." He batted his eyelashes at Dave. "Will you still love me when I weigh 500 pounds?"

Dave rolled his eyes, but he was grinning. "I'll have to think about it … Can I get back to you?"

"Ouch, Bear Cub!" said Sebastian, pretending to be hurt. "I guess I'll just have to suffer alone … I'll yell at random passers-by, telling them about the time I threw love away for an Egg McMuffin."

"Or, you know, you could be a normal person and eat McDonald's in moderation – that way, you get love AND your Egg McMuffin!" Dave suggested.

"But normal people are so _boring,"_ Sebastian whined.

"Sebastian Smythe, eating habits aside, you are anything _but_ normal," chided Dave.

"Good," replied Sebastian, satisfied. "Because I _really_ wanted to get you AND the Egg McMuffin."

"I think that can be arranged," smiled Dave.

"Wait, you only _think_ it can be arranged? How am I supposed to live like this? I need certainty in my life!" Sebastian protested.

"Well, I'm not exactly in control of your Egg McMuffin access," Dave explained, "but I _do_ know you've got me. For as long as you want me," he finished softly.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow, but the corners of his mouth were turned up in an ever-growing smile. "Just so you know, I plan on wanting you for a _very_ long time," he warned. "Are you up for that?"

Dave grinned. "For you? I'm up for anything."

Sebastian took one hand off the wheel and put it over Dave's, resting on the center console. "Good," he smiled, turning to look at Dave. Driving down the interstate in the early morning light, Sebastian was content. In spite of everything – in spite of his bigoted family and this ridiculous waste-of-time road trip – he was completely, blissfully happy. No amount of hatred could bring him down. He had Dave Karofsky in his corner – no matter what – and that was enough.


End file.
